


Ever After

by rainwrites



Series: The Little Things [9]
Category: EXO (Band), f(x)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-30
Updated: 2012-12-31
Packaged: 2017-12-21 10:52:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/899464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainwrites/pseuds/rainwrites
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once upon a time, the princess does not fall in love with the prince. [Tao/Luna]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The mornings are always magical. A visual melody painting the horizon as the sun rises and displays its raw beauty— the myriad of colors from night transforming to day, the sun’s golden rays mixing with the pink and blues of the early morning sky.

Zitao has always favored the mornings. It is a picture like no other…

…with perhaps one exception.

“Good morning!”

And there she is— her gown billowing around her as she walks in long, graceful strides down the steps from the castle. The sun’s rays illuminate her figure with their golden beams and he watches, enraptured.

“Good morning, princess,” he says, bowing before her.

“Oh, please call me Sunyoung…” Her golden locks glisten in the morning light and Zitao’s heart beats faster, drawing a sharp intake of breath to smell her sweet scent as she passes him, “We are friends now, are we not?”

“That we are,” he replies, and when he catches her eye her smile grows, crinkling the skin around those large, impossibly brown eyes.

Sunyoung is like the sun—the single most spectacular being. She keeps everything together and smiles brighter than any star. With Sunyoung around, there is no darkness, only light— _her light._

“And what does her Majesty wish for me to do on this very fine day?”

There is a very brief moment in which the young knight freezes at her seemingly easy inquiry, but Sunyoung doesn’t notice, too wrapped up in the sunlight as it bathes the field in warm and harmonious tones. Beside her, Zitao takes a deep breath before he speaks, his voice soft.

“There is a meadow not too far out of the castle that is very beautiful when the flowers are in bloom, as they should be now...” Sunyoung’s face brightens immediately at his words, excitement pouring from her eyes. “I am to accompany you there to pick wildflowers, princess.”

“That’s wonderful!” she says, excited, and Zitao is almost blinded by her enthusiasm. “Are we leaving soon?”

“As soon as you’re ready…”

“Well then, I should change first. I’ll be back!” She places a hand on his arm, before walking back up, singing happily up the steps and into the darkness of the castle.

“Sunyoung…” he whispers miserably.

 

* * *

 

_It is probably one of the most unforgettable moments in his life._

_He is dressed in the finest armor, sword at the ready, looking every bit the strong individual that he is. He stands high and proud before the King, as the latter appoints him one of the knights at the castle. It is something he and his father have always dreamed of, and he is no less than euphoric._

_It is later that day when it happens. He is exploring the castle grounds, trailing his horse at a leisurely pace when a high-pitched scream pierces through the air. He is on his toes at once, and when he turns he sees a horse race past him._

_A girl hangs helpless on the horse, her fingers desperately knotting into the horse’s mane as she screams for help. Wheeling his mount around, Zitao urges his own horse into a gallop, racing after her. He manages to catch up to the horse and pulls the girl onto his own, struggling to keep control as he veers away when the horse suddenly halts, sending both of them tumbling to the ground._

_Gently, Zitao moves to inspect the girl for injuries, but it’s kind of difficult when she’s shaking with fear and clinging to him as fiercely as she has clung to the horse._

_“Shhh… it’s alright. You’re safe now.”_

_Slowly, the girl in his arms relaxes and he is barely able to catch his breath when she looks up at him and her face comes into view._

_It’s the princess._

_“You saved me,” she whispers breathlessly._

 

* * *

 

“It’s a lovely day, isn’t it?” Sunyoung comments as she stands beside him a couple of hours later, now dressed in a lighter dress, something a bit more appropriate for their journey.

“Yes, yes it is,” Zitao replies quietly.

A giggle escapes past her lips—a pure, sweet sound, the song of birds— still excited at what they’re about to do, before she begins humming a light, cheerful melody that echoes off the trees.

She is happy,  _too happy,_ and Zitao cannot bear the sight—he looks away, and all of a sudden the weight of his armor seems too much, his back and his shoulders aching from the strain.

“Let’s go.”

And so they begin their walk to the forest, a few miles from the castle.

For her flowers.

For her death.

 

* * *

 

_He has been her shadow for a couple of months now at the King’s request, assuming the role of her guardian knight. He has kept her company to every lesson, every banquet, every ball, and has stood guard outside her room at night._

_He has watched her so closely, that he thinks he has fallen for her—the sweetness of her smile, the smoothness of her voice, the gentleness of her presence._

_It is a harsh cold night a few months after the King’s death when the Queen summons him to the court. For some reason, he feels a bit tense as he kneels before the dark figure, looking up at the pale and harsh planes of the Queen’s face._

_“I trust you are serving the princess well?” she begins, voice measured and even, and Zitao nods slightly. “Tomorrow, you are to take her far into the woods. Find a secluded place where she can pick wildflowers.”_

_“Yes, your Majesty.” It is not the first time he has taken the princess out to pick flowers, and it is always a pleasure every time he did._

_“And there, young knight,” the Queen continues, and Zitao feels his heart stop in suspense, “you will kill her!”_

_For a moment, the Queen’s voice echoes into the hall, before it is quiet again. Zitao waits, motionless as he stands before the mad woman, listening to the sudden eerie silence._

_And then the Queen laughs, a sinister laugh laced with sadistic excitement, making him flinch as the harsh sound hits his ears. His skin tingles and for a moment Zitao is unable to move. His eyes shut in fear— fear at what he feels and what he is forced to do._

_“But, Your Majesty, the princess…”_

_“Silence!” she shouts at him. “You will kill her. And you will bring me her heart, so I know she is dead.”_

 

* * *

 

It is almost noon, and the weather is warm as they head away from the castle. If Sunyoung thinks it strange to be heading too far away, she doesn’t mention it, remaining silent instead as she keeps her pace alongside him.

They arrive at the meadow half an hour later, and a light, pleasant sound escapes her lips as she runs across the field and kneels to the ground.

Zitao watches silently as the beautiful princess gathers flowers in her hands, her hair and her gown swaying along the wind. She looks particularly content, singing loudly without abandon, as if she is the only one around and he isn’t there.

Truly, she is more pure and more beautiful than any of the flowers she holds in her embrace. In his darker thoughts, he notes that she is also more fragile than any of those flowers.

How can he wrap his gloved fingers around her throat and watch her diminish? Watch her blood turn the white of her dress a stained and tainted brown and red as life faded from her eyes?

_Kill her! You know the penalty if you fail!_

The Queen’s voice echoes repeatedly in his head, and Zitao shuts his eyes tight, trying not to think too much about what he’s about to do.

The scrape of steel as he unsheathes his dagger from his belt grates horrendously against the soft sound of Sunyoung’s melodic voice. His heart beats loudly in his ears, deafening the sounds around him as he moves towards her as if in slow motion.

“Zitao…” Sunyoung stands, turning to face him, and when her eyes lock into his— his brown eyes that cut through hers like the dagger he now grips in his gloved hand— he sees a dawning realization.

She knows why they’re here now.

“You are going to kill me, are you not?”

He doesn’t answer, watching her closely instead.

Now comes the part where she’s supposed to cower, whimper or scream. Where she’s supposed to try and escape, or beg him for her life.

Sunyoung does none of these things.

She stands tall instead, looking straight at him, silent as if challenging, daring him to approach. Her expression shows no fear, only the littlest hint of dismay as she regards him with something akin to disappointment.

No, she isn’t some damsel in distress this time. Her brown eyes are bright with an inner strength he didn’t know she possessed, and at that moment Zitao thinks she’s the most beautiful woman in the whole land.

She doesn’t bat a lash, her expression unchanging as Zitao steps forward, so he takes another step and she remains as calm and passive as ever.

There’s a long, suffocating moment where he does nothing except stand before her, dagger clutched at his side as he tries to fight the paralyzing effects of her eyes.

He doesn’t want to do this. He’s not even sure if he can anymore.

“You are not going to kill me.”

Her words startle him, cutting through the silence so suddenly that he flinches as if physically struck. He shudders, and instinctively he raises the dagger ever so slightly.

“I know you.” Her voice is soft and something inside him fights to uncoil, begging him for release. “You’re a good man, and you’re not going to kill me.”

“I’m sorry, I have no choice—”

“You always have a choice.”

And before he can think, he raises the dagger above his head, bringing down the blade with all of his might.

A scream echoes across the clearing, and it takes him a few beats to recognize the sound came from him. He’s screaming and gripping the dagger so tightly—the dagger that is now buried hilt-deep onto the ground.

He is now on his knees in front of her, head bowed with shame and his hand over his heart.

“You must flee,” he tells her, and for a moment she looks taken aback at his words. An innocent and vulnerable confusion coats her face, and she looks around as if lost. “The Queen wants your heart. Run far away and never return.”

Sunyoung is silent for a long moment, and when Zitao lifts his head to look at her, she quickly turns away, swiping at her eyes. “You really didn’t kill me.”

“I have pledged my life to your protection, to your service. I cannot kill you.”

She touches his shoulder, drawing him up to his knees, before cradling his face in her hands. And when she presses her lips gently against his temple, he closes his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

He doesn’t open his eyes again until he feels her move away, watching her gather up her skirts in her hand before she takes off for the far end of the clearing.

“Sunyoung,” he calls out before she can completely disappear, and when she looks back at him she is smiling—small, sad, and full of sympathy, “Be safe.”

 

_To be continued._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- originally written 30 December 2012 under **[crackshipper](http://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/100564)**


	2. Chapter 2

This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen.

He stands frozen, a horrible and gut wrenching feeling in his stomach as he gazes towards the lifeless figure that lay in the heart of the forest.

Sunyoung lies stiller than death, on the floor of a cart covered in blossoms and leaves.

Her golden hair, once full of life, is now splayed on the ground, luster gone. Her skin, once a soft golden tan, is now bleached of warmth and life, slowly turning white— a ghostly white.

The natural blush that has added to her beauty is gone, replaced by cold emptiness.

Her bright eyes, once so full of life, love, and laughter— gone.

A never ending sleep.

 

* * *

 

_He finds her, in a wooden cottage deep in the forest at the base of the mountains. She has been living there for a while, together with eleven young men who have welcomed her into their home as if she were family._

_She cooks and cleans and mends their clothes—tasks unfit for a princess— but she doesn’t mind. If anything, she is eternally grateful with the boys for providing her food and shelter._

_She is washing their clothes at the moment, humming to herself as always. She smiles as the wind tosses her hair wildly in her face, and Zitao chuckles silently as he watches from a distance, marveling at the beauty of his beloved. Secretly, he finds himself envious of the breeze now caressing her face, cheeks, and hair._

_Zitao has never showed himself to her, watching her in the shadows instead, protecting her from afar._

_“Sehun-ah!” Sunyoung calls out all of a sudden, and his breath catches in his throat when her sweet, sweet voice reaches his ears, “Would you mind helping me with these clothes? Sehun, please?”_

_A handsome young man comes out of the cottage a couple of minutes later, rubbing off sleep from his eyes. He looks a bit ill-tempered, but when Sunyoung flashes him her charming smile, the frown on his face instantly melts away, replaced by a tiny smile that makes Sunyoung beam at him and pinch his cheeks._

_“You’re the best!”_

_Zitao can only watch as she talks and laughs and plays with the handsome boy for a while. A few more moments pass before the pair is finally done, worn out and exhausted but infinitely pleased with their work. Zitao watches as the two sit side by side on the ground, Sunyoung’s head on Sehun’s shoulder._

_He sighs, a long drawn out sound. Oh, how he wishes it were he who was with her right now._

_He’s so close, yet so far away._

_Before he leaves, he whispers some last few words to her onto the wind, as if in the form of a confession._

_‘I love you, my princess. I will always protect you.’_

 

* * *

 

He gazes at her form from afar and falters for a moment, weighed down by his misery, his lips set in a tight line as he presses them together to stop them from trembling.

His head begins to swim, a haze entering his mind as he emerges from the shadows and approaches her figure, his fingers brushing against the wood of the cart Sunyoung has been laid upon.

Zitao feels completely and entirely lost to the world. Sunyoung is beautiful, innocent, and pure. It is a crime to kill such perfection.

Sunyoung deserves to live.

He has promised himself to protect her, but he failed.  He failed, and now she’s gone.

“I’m sorry.”

He should have been the one to die.

 

* * *

 

_It is only a matter of time before the Queen finds out that the heart she was offered with isn’t the princess’s, and she is nothing but furious. Zitao has left the castle before the Queen can hold him captive, hiding at the edge of the forest near the place Sunyoung is in._

_He still hasn’t shown himself to her, still choosing to guard her from a distance. He has to keep her safe from the Queen, so he has talked to one of the boys from the cottage— Joonmyun, who calls himself the guardian of the house._

_“She is the princess from the nearby kingdom,” Zitao has disclosed, Joonmyun’s eyes widening at the revelation, “and the Queen wants her dead. You have to keep her safe. Do not let her open the door for anyone. Do not let her speak to anyone but you. Do not leave her alone.’_

_Zitao is forever in their debt— Joonmyun and the boys have been more than happy to help, vowing to protect the beautiful princess with all they have._

_It is one afternoon when he sneaks into the Queen’s chambers that one of Zitao’s fears comes to life—the Queen has left the castle, in search of the princess._

_Zitao leaves without a second thought, kicking his mount into a gallop and racing as fast as he can into the forest. His thoughts scramble as he drives his mount to still greater speed, hoping to make it to the cottage before it’s too late._

_But it’s too late._

_He’s too late._

_When he arrives, he sees Sunyoung fall to the ground, a red apple in her hand. Her ruby lips are parted, apple juice dribbling down her chin and onto the grass._

 

* * *

 

Sunyoung’s face is peaceful, untroubled by any sort of pain.

“At least now you can be a princess in the heavens among the angels,” he whispers. For a moment, he allows pain to engulf him before he takes a deep breath—he knows what he has to do now.

Unable to take his eyes off her, he thrusts his hand into his pocket, his fingers closing around a glass vial. He takes it out, looking at it as a prisoner might gaze at his liberator, and to him it  _is_ his liberator—the poison that will save him from his own tattered soul.

“This isn’t farewell, my love. I will be with you soon.”

Slowly, he leans down, his tears falling on her cheeks like delicate pearls. His lips brush against hers ever so softly, as though she would shatter like glass with too harsh a touch. He kisses her for the longest time, wishing he could give her back the life that was taken from her in that single kiss.

He pulls away, taking a moment to stare at her, but she is still unmoving, and he feels the pain squeeze the life from his heart once more.

The vial is still in his hand, glinting in the moonlight, and his fingers tremble as he undoes the stopper. He raises the glass to his lips, tilting his head back and forcing himself to swallow the bitter liquid. He gulps it back, and the potion burns as it scrapes its way down his throat. He shudders at the taste, but can feel himself gradually growing weaker, weaker…

He collapses to his knees next to her, and just when he thinks everything is coming to an end, the air in the forest shifts and he feels magic in the air. He looks up, and he cannot believe his eyes when he sees Sunyoung stir from her eternal slumber.

His eyes are wide and unblinking when he sees Sunyoung’s chest move as she takes a deep breath… a breath of life. Color returns to her face and she is glowing once more, her radiant face shining in the moonlight. Her eyes slowly open before she sits up, drawing her gaze upon the room, searching.

“Zitao…” she whispers when her eyes find his, and she reaches out a hand, reaching for him. Zitao tries to get up, but stumbles, and she catches him and holds him in her arms.

“You’re alive,” he whispers. She is alive— breathing, feeling, speaking.

“You...” He feels her fingers gently caress his face. “You saved me.”

All of a sudden, a strangled cry echoes past his lips, and he hears Sunyoung gasp in terror.  He is now clutching his stomach, coughing uncontrollably, breath coming out in whimpers.

“What’s wrong?” she chokes in a hoarse whisper, tears now streaming down her face. Zitao stares up at her, murmuring something she does not quite catch, and with a final effort kisses her full on the lips.

Zitao wishes the kiss would never end.

He pulls away to look at her for the last time. Her beautiful face calms him. It is taking away his pain.

His mouth curves up slightly at the edges.

“Sunyoung,” his lips form her name but no sound comes out. His breathing stops and in its place is the loudest silence Sunyoung has ever heard. She reaches down and shuts his eyes closed, gone forever.

 

_End._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- originally written 31 December 2012 under **[crackshipper](http://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/100564)**


	3. Epilogue

It’s been a month. A month since the final battle has been won. Since the Queen has been defeated— imprisoned within a tomb of solid enchantment that will hold her for centuries before dissolving.

The princess has now returned to the castle to reclaim the kingdom, the throne that is rightfully hers.

Life is beginning to be pulled through roots to fragile limbs from the earth, renewed. Buds are opening on withered stems, tender blades of green scattering the wretched mounds of dirt and ash.

A single red rose lies on a grave, full-blown and fierce. It’s beauty draws Sunyoung closer and she is on her knees, looking very closely at the flower.

“Zitao…” Sunyoung closes her eyes. Moments with the young knight come drifting back to her like the memory of a dream—meeting him for the first time at the castle, him teaching her how to ride a horse, him saving her from a very persistent prince at a ball… They seem to have happened many years ago—could it only have been a few months?

Before Zitao, she has not known what it’s like to be alive. Truly, he has taught her many things. Before him, she has not known what it’s like to love.

And now he is gone.

Life without Zitao is no life at all. In the few months she has known him, she has experienced a lifetime, and now she has reached the end.

A glint of silver catches her eyes when she opens them—the weapon she has brought with her lying not too far away from the rose. Slowly, she grips the hilt of Zitao’s dagger and draws it from its sheath. The blade flashes in the sunlight as she points the tip of the dagger towards her heart. She closes her eyes once more, and just for one instant hesitates.

_Life is fleeting, but love is eternal._

With both hands, she presses the blade into her heart. Death isn’t as beautiful as it seemed— the silence is pounding in her ears, the white is too blinding, and the pain is too intense.

She falls back onto the cold marble of Zitao’s tomb, and it is peaceful.

 

* * *

 

She opens her eyes, and she is in a garden. She feels light, seeing light in all directions. A delicate breeze sweeps over her face, tossing her hair about and causing her dress to ripple. From a distance, she sees a familiar figure approaching, and her heart skips a beat when she recognizes him.

“Zitao!” she cries for joy.

As the young knight looks about, he sees her at once, surrounded by roses, the sunlight gleaming in her hair like a halo.

“Sunyoung!” he exclaims. He runs towards her and catches her in his arms. She wraps her arms around him, clasping her hands opposite his neck, holding him tighter against her.

 “I love you…” she murmurs, before leaning forward until her lips touch his. The kiss is warm and meaningful, full of longing, of emotions, of daydreams and thoughts that forever kept them together even in the moments when they were not.

The kiss lasts for the longest time, before he pulls back and looks straight into her eyes, but does not let her go.

“I love you,” he whispers against her lips, stroking her jaw with his thumb, before he kisses her once more.

 

At last they are together. Together, ever after.

 

_End._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- originally written 31 December 2012 under **[crackshipper](http://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/100564)**


End file.
